PRITI PATEL faced fresh calls to resign today after it was revealed that a former aide received a £25,000 payout following alleged bullying that led to her overdosing on prescription drugs.

Legal correspondence states that the woman took an overdose following the alleged incident in 2015, when the now Home Secretary was an employment minister.

The junior employee at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) brought a formal complaint of bullying and harassment against the department, including Ms Patel – who is named directly – after being dismissed from her role in October 2015, the documents show.